Vehicle liner underneath vehicle floor

Abstract

A liner for a vehicle is provided between the vehicle's floor and frame and protects the underside of the floor from moisture coming from underneath the vehicle. The liner also has a drainage feature which allows for liquids trapped between it and the floor to drain therethrough. The vehicle liner is made up of a pair of strips of a waterproof material disposed adjacent to each other with a gap provided between them and a third strip of a waterproof material covering the gap. The three strips effectively remove liquids from underneath the vehicle floor and yet form a moisture barrier for preventing moisture arising from underneath the vehicle from contacting with the vehicle floor.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A liner for preventing moisture from entering and removing moisture from underneath a vehicle's floor, said liner comprising a first strip of a waterproof material provided underneath the vehicle's floor, a second strip of a waterproof material provided underneath the vehicle's floor in spaced-apart, parallel relationship to said first strip so that a gap is provided therebetween and a third strip of a waterproof material provided underneath the vehicle's floor and covering the gap provided between said first and second strips, wherein means for removing moisture is provided between at least one of said first and third strips and said second and third strips. 
     
     
       2. The liner of claim 1, wherein said first, second and third strips are made of the same waterproof material. 
     
     
       3. The liner of claim 1, wherein said first, second and third strips extend longitudinally along the length of the vehicle's floor. 
     
     
       4. The liner of claim 1, wherein said first, second and third strips extend laterally along the width of the vehicle floor. 
     
     
       5. The liner of claim 1, wherein said third strip is tacked to said first and second strips. 
     
     
       6. The liner of claim 5, wherein said third strip is tacked intermittently to said first and second strips. 
     
     
       7. The liner of claim 1, wherein said vehicle is a truck trailer. 
     
     
       8. The liner of claim 2, wherein the waterproof material is a polymer. 
     
     
       9. The liner of claim 2, wherein the waterproof material is a woven polymer. 
     
     
       10. The liner of claim 8, wherein the polymer is a thermoplastic resin. 
     
     
       11. The liner of claim 10, wherein the thermoplastic resin is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene and polypropylene. 
     
     
       12. The liner of claim 9, wherein the woven polymer is coated with a polymeric coating. 
     
     
       13. The liner of claim 12, wherein the polymeric coating is a thermoplastic resin. 
     
     
       14. The liner of claim 13, wherein the thermoplastic resin is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene and polypropylene. 
     
     
       15. The liner of claim 1, wherein the third strip is provided over the gap. 
     
     
       16. The liner of claim 1, wherein the third strip is provided underneath the gap. 
     
     
       17. In a vehicle cargo area comprising a floor upon which cargo is supported and a vehicle frame provided underneath the floor, the improvement comprising providing a liner which prevents moisture from entering and yet allows moisture to exit said cargo area underneath said floor, said liner comprising a first strip of a waterproof material provided underneath the vehicle's floor, a second strip of a waterproof material provided underneath the vehicle's floor in spaced-apart, parallel relationship to said first strip so that a gap is provided therebetween and a third strip of a waterproof material provided underneath the vehicle's floor and covering the gap provided between said first and second strips, wherein means for removing moisture is provided between at least one of said first and third strips and said second and third strips. 
     
     
       18. In a vehicle for transporting cargo from one location to another comprising a cargo area having a floor upon which cargo is supported and a vehicle frame provided underneath the floor, the improvement comprising providing a liner which prevents moisture from entering and yet allows moisture to exit said cargo area underneath said floor, said liner comprising a first strip of a waterproof material provided underneath the vehicle's floor, a second strip of a waterproof material provided underneath the vehicle's floor in spaced-apart, parallel relationship to said first strip so that a gap is provided therebetween and a third strip of a waterproof material provided underneath the vehicle's floor and covering the gap provided between said first and second strips, wherein means for removing moisture is provided between at least one of said first and third strips and said second and third strips.